Antenna mount

ABSTRACT

An antenna mount adapted for mounting on a variety of different kinds of roofs. A central mast is provided with two pairs of articulated mounting legs each pivoted at one end to the bottom of the central mast and the other end to a slider secured around the central mast and a bracing leg is also pivotally attached to the slider perpendicular to the mounting legs. Movement of the slider varies the orientation of the legs in order to adapt the mount for roofs of various shapes and configurations.

United States Patent [56] References Clted UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,661,930 3/1928 Dietrich 248/38 X 2,556,460 6/1951 Ballam et al. 248/46 3,452,956 7/1969 Reed 248/43 X Primary Examiner-William H. Schultz Auorney-Amster & Rothstein ABSTRACT: An antenna mount adapted for mounting on a variety of different kinds of roofs. A central mast is provided with two pairs of articulated mounting legs each pivoted at one end to the bottom of the central mast and the other end to a slider secured around the central mast and a bracing leg is also pivotally attached to the slider perpendicular to the mounting legs. Movement of the slider varies the orientation of the legs in order to adapt the mount for roofs of various shapes and configurations.

PATENTEDunv 9 ml sum 1 or 2 ANTENNA MOUNT The present invention relates generally to means for mounting objects on roofs and specifically relates to a universal mounting means particularly adapted to mount television antennas on the roofs of a variety of shapes.

In most geographical locations it is necessary, or at the very least desirable, to have television sets and FM receivers attached to appropriate antennas mounted at relatively high locations. Normally, this is most easily accomplished by mounting such antennas on the roofs of the existing structure. A large variety of devices have been proposed and marketed for making attachment to various different types of roof configurations. For the supplier dealing in such mounting devices or the service agency installing such devices, there exists a number of problems which result from the number of devices heretofore available. In the first place, many of the available devices have not been satisfactory for their intended purposes. Secondly, the fact that there are a variety of devices requires that large inventories be stocked because of the necessity for having on hand the various different types of mounting means which may be required to mount antennas on the various different types of roofs. This is a particularly difficult problem for the antenna installer who must bring with him in his service truck those devices which are necessary to complete any given job. Thirdly, many of the existing devices are rather cumbersome in their stored position and take a great deal of room thereby further aggravating the supply and warehousing problem. Fourthly, in many instances, it has been unduly difficult to install the currently available devices and thus the need has arisen for new devices which are more easily assembled and more easily mounted on a roof.

Antenna mounts made in accordance with the present invention, find usefulness in a variety of different roof configurations. On a typical peaked roof (where two inclined roof surfaces meet together in an apex) it is possible for an antenna mount of the present invention to be attached in any one of three alternate ways, each of which may have its own advantages in any given situation. The antenna mount may be secured to the roof with mounting means straddling the peak line and extending downwardly along each of the sides of the roof perpendicular to the peak point; the mount may be secured in its mounting means generally parallel to the peak line and located all on one side of the peak line; or the device may be secured on the facia of the roof, i.e., on the edge of the roof. In this last alternative, the device may be mounted on the building at the roof line without any need for the mechanic to step up onto the roof. This provides a great advantage for the service company because it presents an extremely easy and safe procedure for mounting roof antennas. As will be appreciated from considering the more detailed description below, an antenna mount in accordance with the present invention can even be used on flat roofs and may be installed very easily and simply in a variety of configurations.

An antenna mount in accordance with the present invention generally comprises a vertical central mast, the upper end of which may either directly support an antenna or may mount a mast extension on which an antenna is mounted. The device may also, of course, be used for supporting other items such as flags, flag poles, etc. A slider member is secured to and movable along the central mast and two pairs of articulated mounting legs are pivotally secured between the slider and the bottom of the mast, one pair on each side of the mast. The pairs of mounting legs and the central mast define two triangular areas both of which lie in the same plane on opposite sides of the central mast. As the slider is moved along the mast, the shape of these triangular areas is changed and the configuration of the pairs of mounting legs are changed. The mechanic may thus choose a configuration which is best suited for the given installation which he wishes to make. A bracing leg, oriented perpendicular to the plane of the triangles, is also pivotally secured to the slider and is used to give support to the central mast in the direction perpendicular to the plane of those triangles. Attachment means are provided at the lower end of the bracing leg and along the lower end of the mounting legs of each pair for securement of the device to an existing structure.

The above brief description, as well as further objects, features and advantages of the present invention, will be best appreciated by reference to the following detailed description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an antenna mount in accordance with the present invention in its collapsed position as it would exist in storage and transport with arrows showing the way in which it is moved into its working configuration;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the antenna mount of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the antenna mount of FIG. 1 showing three of the various configurations which may be assumed by the device;

FIGS. 4 and 5 are enlarged sectional views of a portion of the mounting legs of the device, with portions in section, showing a method by which the device may be fastened to an existing roof structure;

FIG. 6 is a front elevational view of the antenna mount of the present invention secured to the facia at the end of a peaked roof;

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of the device as shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a front elevational view of the antenna mount in accordance with the present invention mounted on the top of a peaked roof, with the roof structure shown in section;

FIG. 9 is a side elevational view of the device as shown in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a perspective illustration of the antenna mount of the present invention secured to a flat roof; and

FIG. 11 is a similar perspective view of the antenna mount; however, in this case it is shown as secured on one side of a pitched roof.

Reference is now made to FIGS. 1 through 3 for a description of the construction of the present invention. The antenna mount, generally designated by the numeral 10, has a central mast 12 which, by the remaining mechanisms of the device, may be mounted in vertical orientation on a roof. At the upper end of the mast 12, means may be provided for securement of a television antenna or the like or means may be provided for the securement of a mast extension on which such an antenna is mounted. Alternatively, any other kind of device may be mounted on the mast at that point.

A slider member, generally designated by the numeral 14, is positioned intermediate at the ends of the mast l2 and is adapted for movement along its length. In the present illustrative embodiment, the slider is composed of three curved sections: first section 16 which goes 180 around the mast, and second and third sections 18, 20, each of which go around the mast. The individual sections l6, 18, 20 are joined together by rivets and also serve as pivot points as will be seen below.

Two pairs of articulated mounting legs are secured to the mast 12. The first pair of legs comprise the mounting leg 22 and the mounting leg 24, and the second pair is designated as mounting leg 26 and mounting leg 28. Each of legs 22 and 26 are of the same size and configuration and, similarly, legs 24 and 28 are of the same size and configuration. The first mounting legs of each pair (legs 22,26) are secured at their upper ends at pivotal mounts 30, 32 to slider 14 and are pivoted at their lower ends to their respective mates at pivots 34, 36. In turn, the lower ends of the lower mounting legs 24, 28 are pivoted to the bottom end of the shaft 12 at pivotal mount 38. Pivotal mount 38 is on the shaft 12 and is specifically located at the offset 40 at the bottom of the shaft which is formed by flattening a portion of the tubing which makes up the shaft 12 and forming same into a double 90 bend. As may be seen in FIG. 7, the flat 40a of the bend may be used as a supporting point, in the mounting of the device 10. Each of the legs 22, 24, 26, 28 are formed of tubular material somewhat smaller in diameter than the tubular material of the mast l2 and are flattened at their respective ends to form ears which are then pierced by opening for purposes of making the pivotal connection described above.

A bracing leg 42 is also secured to the slider member 14 at pivotal mount 44 between the slider sections 18 and 20, and extends in a direction perpendicular to the direction of the mounting legs 22, 26. At its lower end, the bracing leg 42 is informed with a securement ear 46 which is provided with an opening 48 through which the bracing leg may be fastened to a roof.

Reference to FIG. 3 will show three of the infinite number of positions which may be taken by the mounting legs 22, 24, 26, 28. The solid line configuration, labeled here as position A, may be used when the antenna mount 10 is to be placed on a flat roof as in FIG. 10, or one side of the pitched roof as in FIG. 11, or may even be used when the device is to be mounted on an end face (the facia) of a peaked roof of the type shown in FIG. 6. The configuration in the dash lines identified in FIG. 3 as position B, is useful when the antenna mount 10 is to be placed on the apex of a peaked roof as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 or on the facia of a peaked roof as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. The configuration as shown in the long and short dash lines, identified in FIG. 3 as position C, may find usefulness in other roof configurations, for example, where the antenna mount 10 is to be used at the bottom seam of a butterfly roof, or where special shapes on the face of a building require a different positioning of the lower mounting legs 24, 28 and those shown in positions A and B.

Simple attachment means are provided in the lower mounting legs 24, 28 such that those structures may be rigidly fastened to a building structure. As shown, a plurality of holes 50 are drilled through the lower legs 24, 28, some of which are parallel to the pivots 34, 36, 38, others of which are at an angle thereto. A mechanic, when mounting the antenna mount 10, may drive securement nails or screws through the mounting legs 24, 28 and into the structure, whether the legs are on top of the structure as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, or against the side of a building as shown in FIGS. 6 through 9.

FIGS. 4 and illustrate one extremely simple fastening means found to be efficient in providing the required rigid attachment of the mount to existing structures. A nail 54 is passed through the opening 50 in the lower leg 28 and a strip of sealing compound 56 is positioned between the bottom surface of the mounting leg 28 and the roof 52. The nail 58 is provided with a series of striations along its length and has a double head. The striations are effective to pull some of the sealing material 56 into the opening formed by the nail and to pack the sealing material very tightly around the opening to prevent water from seeping into the roof. The double headed structure is provided such that the mechanic, when driving the nail 54 home, will not bang the hammer head into the relatively soft surface of the aluminum which forms the various tubing members of the mast mount 10.

Consideration of a method of mounting the antenna mount on the end of a pitched roof will illustrate some of the advantages of the device. Initially, reference is made to FIG. 1, to show the tremendous advantages achieved by the construction of the device 10 as is manifested in the reduction of storage space required to house the device. When the slider 14 is moved as far up along the mast 12 as it will go, the legs 22, 24, 26, 28 are folded flat against the mast and the bracing leg 14 is also folded flat against the mast. Thus, the entire structure occupies no more space than if the pieces were completely separate and tied together in one thin long bundle. However, although they take exactly as much space as they would take up disassembled, the device is essentially completely assembled and the mechanic need do nothing more than take the unit out of its box, spread the pairs of mounting legs out a little bit and push the slider down in order to reach one of the selected configurations as shown in FIG. 3. The mechanic may even do this on a ladder since the movement is quite easy and thus has a very easy time hoisting his antenna mount up to the position on the roof which it is to occupy. This, of course,

makes for a very much safer assembly procedure for the mechanic.

With the position selected as shown by the letter B in FIG. 3, the mechanic can then proceed to attach the antenna mount to the roof as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. He simply drives a number of nails 54 through the openings 50 provided in the lower legs 24, 28. He extends the bracing leg 42 rearwardly such that the central mast 12 is in a vertical position and he then drives home a further nail 54 into the peak of the roof through the mounting tab 46 to complete the installation. It will be appreciated that this entire procedure can be conducted while the mechanic is standing on a ladder on the side of the building; he does not have to go through the dangerous step of crawling up onto the roof.

The weight of the antenna mount may, if desired, rest upon the surface 48 formed at the bottom fold portion of the antenna mount 12 and be held rigidly in place by the nails as described. Alternatively, of course, a mechanic may use screws rather than nails and thus get an even more secure attachment.

Reference to FIGS. 8 and 9 will show that the mast 10 may be secured to a peaked roof anywhere along the length of the peak in a manner similar to that described above in connection with the description of FIGS. 6 and 7. However, in this case, the nails 54 are driven downwardly through the alternate openings 50 formed in the lower mounting legs 24, 28.

FIG. 10 illustrates the situation as it exists on a completely flat roof. There, the antenna mount 10 is spread into a position as shown in position A of FIG. 3 and the nails 54 are then driven directly down into the roof through both lower mounting legs 24, 28. The bracing leg 42 is then secured as described.

A similar installation is shown in FIG. 11; however, in that case, the roof is pitched rather than flat. The only difference there is that the angle of the bracing leg 42 is changed in order to make sure that the central mast l2 occupies a vertical position.

From the foregoing, it will be understood that still further roof configurations can be taken care of with the antenna mount in accordance with the present invention. It will be seen that this antenna mount is applicable to a large variety of roof installations and, coupled with its extremely small size when it is in its collapsed storage configuration, greatly reduces the storage and warehousing problems which heretofore existed. The mechanic who is to install three roof antennas in one morning simply needs to place three small boxes bearing antenna mounts in accordance with the present inven tion in his truck and he will have all of the mounting equipment he needs in order to secure his antennas. With prior constructions, he would have to have several varieties of different types of antenna mounts and each one of those various types might have been bulkier than the package for an antenna mount in accordance with the present invention. Furthermore, it will be seen that the assembly technique is extremely simple. There is absolutely no assembly to be done on the antenna mount itself; it need merely be moved into the proper configuration for the particular installation. This eliminates a great deal of danger which existed in the past where a mechanic had to assemble bulky and difficuIt-to-handle elements in precarious positions, often subject to rain and wind. Furthermore, it provides a method of securing antennas to the facias of roofs, very near the crest of the roof, without actually crawling up onto the crest of the roof. This eliminates a need for longer ladders and eliminates the danger met by a mechanic having to leave his ladder, crawl onto a roof, make the assembly and then crawl off the roof back onto the ladder. This transfer from ladder to roof and roof back to ladder has been an extremely dangerous activity and the elimination of this requirement is a distinct advantage.

It will be appreciated that the specific construction shown in the drawings described above is not the only construction in which the present invention can find commercial use. A number of design variations may be made, differing in minor and major respect when still incorporating the gist of the invention. The following claims more particularly recite the scope of the present invention.

lclaim:

1. An antenna mount for selective use on flat roofs, pitch roofs and eaves comprising a central mast having means adjacent its upper end for the securement of antenna mounting means, a slider secured to and freely movable along the length of said mast, two pairs of articulated mounting legs each having an upper mounting leg and a lower mounting leg, the upper mounting legs of each pair being of the same length and the lower mounting legs of each pair being of the same length, fixed upper pivotal mounting means on said slider pivotally fixing the upper ends of said upper mounting legs on said slider, fixed lower pivotal mounting means at the lower end of said central mast pivotally fixing the lower ends of said lower mounting legs to the lower end of said central mast, each of said pairs of legs and said central mast lying substantially in a single plane, movement in the position of said slider along the length of said central mast changing the angular orientation of said mounting legs for adaption and securement thereof to structures of different configurations and allowing said pairs of mounting legs to be collapsed into an essentially in line orientation for efiicient shipment and storage of the fully assembled antenna mount.

2. An antenna mount in accordance with claim 1 including securement means for attaching said articulated mounting legs to an existing structure.

3. An antenna mount in accordance with claim 2 including a bracing leg pivotally secured to said slider at an angle to said mounting legs for providing bracing perpendicular to the bracing provided by said mounting legs. 

1. An antenna mount for selective use on flat roofs, pitch roofs and eaves comprising a central mast having means adjacent its upper end for the securement of antenna mounting means, a slider secured to and freely movable along the length of said mast, two pairs of articulated mounting legs each having an upper mounting leg and a lower mounting leg, the upper mounting legs of each pair being of the same length and the lower mounting legs of each pair being of the same length, fixed upper pivotal mounting means on said slider pivotally fixing the upper ends of said upper mounting legs on said slider, fixed lower pivotal mounting means at the lower end of said central mast pivotally fixing the lower ends of said lower mounting legs to the lower end of said central mast, each of said pairs of legs and said central mast lying substantially in a single plane, movement in the position of said slider along the length of said central mast changing the angular orientation of said mounting legs for adaption and securement thereof to structures of different configurations and allowing said pairs of mounting legs to be collapsed into an essentially in line orientation for efficient shipment and storage of the fully assembled antenna mount.
 2. An antenna mount in accordance with claim 1 including securement means for attaching said articulated mounting legs to an existing structure.
 3. An antenna mount in accordance with claim 2 including a bracing leg pivotally secured to said slider at an angle to said mounting legs for providing bracing perpendicular to the bracing provided by said mounting legs. 